Skin Woes: Seasonal Transition

clinque moisture surge extended thirst relief, boots botanics facial oil 100% organic with nourishing rosehip, dr. jart+ dr.jart+ ceramidin cream derma care technology,

Charleston weather is so weird. One day I will wake up to a frozen car and temperatures in the 40/50's during the day, and the next it could be as warm as 80 degrees! Then back to the 50's again! That's crazy to me. But apparently it's normal for this area. I am not gonna complain about the occasional and unexpected warm day. However, my skin is so confused right now! Definitely doesn't help that I'm working inside of an office all day. All that heating and a/c makes the air super dry, which also makes my skin feeling parched. And when my skin is dry, it tends to overproduce oil and it is just not a good look.

Normally, my morning routine is basically this: cleanse, facial mist/toner, eye cream, facial oil, sunscreen, primer, makeup! Before I go to bed, my routine is pretty much the same except minus the sunscreen, add a serum, and sometimes I'll use an extra moisturizer after the facial oil if  Lately, I feel like this normal routine is not cutting it! My skin has been so dry and subsequently oily. So, I have had to break out the big guns recently.

The Boots Botanics Facial Oil is something I've been using year round. I use this over a serum and under moisturizer. And I feel like it has really been instrumental in keeping my skin hydrated. I am prone to acne and a couple years ago I would never have thought to use a face oil! Now I feel like face oils have actually helped me to breakout LESS. Anyway, face oils will always have a place in my daily routines. And if you feel like your skin is dry, you can use it in conjunction with an extra moisturizer.

I bought this tub of Clinique Moisture Surge Extended Thirst Relief at the end of last year and used it until spring/summer. Almost forgot that I had it actually. I used to use this in Hawaii when I needed extra moisturizing. I liked it because it never broke me out. This was enough to moisturize my skin in Hawaii, however, I don't think I could use this by itself in the Winter here. But it does work great with a facial oil for me!

I got this sample of Dr. Jart+ Ceramidin Cream in a birchbox and have been using this lately (it is almost GONE). I think that this would be a great moisturizer for winter (I don't even need to use a facial oil)! I love it! It is a rich cream that absorbs quickly into the skin and immediately moisturizes. Even though it's "rich," it doesn't feel heavy or anything; in fact, it's kind of lightweight! But I don't think that I would use this in the summer when it gets humid again. It smells a bit medicinal... Almost like rosemary, but I like the scent and it dissipates quickly after you apply it. I ordered a full-size tube of this to get ready a season of dry office environments and cold weather. I'll let you know how it works out in the long run!

I've also been making sure that I've been exfoliating to get rid of the dead/dry skin cells. I touched upon the products that I used for this a little in this post. I recently bought this Boots No7 Glycolic Peel Kit at Target and I am hoping to try this once my skin gets more used to the weather change. I just want to make sure that my skin won't be super dry!

In addition, I've been thinking about getting a personal humidifier for my cubicle and also a humidifier for our room while we sleep. I've been waking up to a congested nose lately and my nose sometimes hurts at work because of the dry air! It's so uncomfortable. I'm looking at humidifiers on amazon right now!

What are your favorite winter products? Does anyone use a humidifier? Are they as awesome as I imagine them to be?

(all products were purchased by me and all opinions are my own!)

22 comments

  1. I want to try that Dr. Jart Ceramidin again, but I'm pretty sure it broke me out last time, so I'm kind of scared, now, lol. I haven't gotten a humidifier yet, although I do kind of want one. I think Monika (Rocaille Writes) bought one last year and I keep forgetting to ask her how it is.

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    1. Oh no! If I think something broke me out, I also get scared! I might try the product again, just in case it was hormones/stress, but after that, it's over FOREVER. LOL

      Oh man. I totally ordered a humidifier already! My nose and eyes are so dry right now. So, I hope it helps! Haha.

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    1. This is Michelle!

      The winters in Japan are really dry. I use Korres' WILD ROSE + VITAMIN C ADVANCED BRIGHTENING SLEEPING FACIAL (http://www.korresusa.com/default.aspx?page_id=5). It works really well, but the wild rose smell is very strong. I was holding my breath in the beginning, but am used to it now. I like Korres because their products are at least 80% natural ingredients.

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    2. Hi, Michelle!!! :) I actually used to use this (and really liked it), but I completely forgot about it until your comment! Hmm... Now I want to buy this again... LOL. But I guess I'll wait until I use up all my Ceramidin cream or Clinique Moisture Surge first. XD Thanks for the suggestion/comment! :)

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    3. For face products, I tend to find something I like and continue using it forever~ That's why I had to cancel my birchbox subscription. I just wasn't using the samples. Another product I like is SK-II's Facial Treatment Clear Lotion. I've been using this for a few years, every morning and night after washing my face.

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    4. I like to stick to the same things, too! Usually. LOL. But I do like to try new things, especially if it's better than what I'm currently using (currently have a lot of budget friendly stuff). I actually don't like getting body lotions and stuff from Birchbox. I have a bunch of those that I haven't used. Like, please just send me make-up, skincare, and hair products, please! How is the Clear Lotion? I just looked it up and it sounds like a good toner, but it's so pricey! Haha.

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  3. P.S. I wanted to edit something in my first comment, but that's not an option so I deleted it, haha.

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  4. I use the Clear Lotion like a toner, but it's very gentle and more hydrating. I pour some on a cotton pad and wipe my face. It's humid here during the summer and I needed something light. If I put moisturizer on, my face becomes very oily. So I use the Clear Lotion, then sunscreen. It is pricey and I switched products to save money once, but noticed more breakouts. It may have been a coincidence or all in my head, but I went back to the Clear Lotion. For me the price isn't as bad because I stopped buying face serums and expensive night creams so overall I'm spending less. I also don't use much makeup, so everything goes into skincare. I've tried a lot of products, but my current routine seems to work best. I'm still looking for the perfect sunscreen though. What are you using?

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    1. You are making me want the Clear Lotion really badly! I just put it on my wish list. Haha. :) I don't have a perfect sunscreen yet. But I'm currently using COOLA Classic Sunscreen Cucumber Moisturizer (30 SPF). It is light and non-greasy and it smells like cucumbers (which I think is refreshing). Is there even such a thing as a perfect sunscreen? Lol jk. What do you use?

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    2. I like the Clear Lotion and hope you like it too. SK-II is really popular in Japan. Hopefully all the advertising hasn't gone to my head. I have combination skin, by the way. For sunscreen, I've been using Lancome's Bienfait Multi-Vital SPF 30 Lotion. Before that I was using Shiseido's Urban Environment Oil-Free UV Protector SPF 42, but it's expensive for the size. With the Lancome I don't have to apply moisturizer first since it's like a two-in-one. But the Shiseido is just a "protector" so I had to put something underneath and in the summer it was too much on my skin. I haven't heard of COOLA. The stores in Japan carry completely different brands so I miss out on what's popular in the states. This conversation has motivated me to research new sunscreen options, haha.

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    3. Ooh. Those both sound nice! COOLA isn't really that well-known, I think. They're more of an "eco-friendly" line and I discovered it through birchbox. Haha! Shiseido and Lancome at least are "luxury" skincare companies, so I guess it's to be expected that you'll pay more. :) Another sunscreen I was using before was the Supergoop City Sunscreen Serum SPF 42. It was lightweight, but it kind of made me more oily than usual... So I stopped using it. The COOLA doesn't do that to me.

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    4. I like eco-friendly products or anything made with natural ingredients, except Burt's Bees. I just haven't had luck with that brand. The Sephora website seems to be down. When it's up I'll check my order history and tell you which products I liked/didn't. I've tried so many things over the years.

      Have you tried the Diorshow Maximizer Lash Primer Serum? I got it as a sample and have mixed feelings about it. I don't like to use too much because it gets clumpy, but I do think it held the curl of my lashes longer.

      One sample I loved is YSL's Glossy Stain Rebel Nudes. LOVED!

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    5. Yeah, i don't really like Burt's Bees. Their lip balm is alright. When I was younger, I used a little bit of their acne stuff, but it kind of made my skin more irritated.

      I haven't tried that lash primer serum. LOL. I bought this lash gel thing called Lipocels. It was supposed to make your lashes longer and fuller. I don't remember any significant results, but I also forgot to use it consistently. Because ain't nobody got time for dat! I'm just kidding. I don't like extra steps, but i should probably be more concerned about my straight lashes... But.... also... I'm too lazy. Haha. :(

      And ooh! The Rebel Nudes Glossy Stain sounds nice! I've been trying to be more adventurous with lip colors lately, but it's kind of hard for me. Haha. Mostly because I'm scared. XD

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    6. I just saw that the Clear Lotion is now $70. It used to be $60. I'm really sad about this. The toner I tried in place of it was Origins' A Perfect World Age-Defense Treatment Lotion with White Tea. I'm a sucker for anything that mentions "tea". I don't think the toner itself broke me out, but I noticed my skin wasn't as clear while using this. And it wasn't as hydrating as the Clear Lotion. I don't like that "tight" feeling that toner tends to leave skin.

      In a moment of complete madness, I bought CAUDALIE's Vinoperfect Radiance Serum last year. There was nothing wrong with the serum, but I didn't see the results that I expected from something so expensive. I was probably hoping for too much--like a complete skin rebirth, LOL.

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    7. I also don't like the "tight" feeling. That usually means that my skin is too dry and that I need some heavy duty moisturizers! LOL. I actually just repurchased it. It is pretty expensive, but I thought that it was slowly lightening my spots before (but it may have been wishful thinking). I tried the Clinique dark spot corrector and I feel like it didn't really help at all. I don't know! Skin care is weird. Haha. But yeah, when you spend so much on a product, it's hard not to expect it to be a miracle worker. So I try to be reasonable with my expectations now.

      And I'm the same way with "tea." I'm like, "ooh! Antioxidants! And probably a nice smell!"

      I'm totally gonna splurge and get the Clear Lotion. Eventually.. after I'm finished with my other similar products... :(

      Do you have twitter? LOL

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  5. The Korres cream that I'm using is supposed to address uneven skintone and dark spots. I think some of my redness is genetic (aka my white side, because my mom's skin is very good). I need to take before and after photos because any change that is occurring is happening over such a long time that I don't notice it. My main skin concern now is actually preventing wrinkles. I feel like my laugh lines are setting in and I'm worried about my neck skin starting to sag, haha.

    No, I don't have twitter. It's not popular here so I never got into it. I don't have instagram either. Are they worth getting?

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    1. Yeah! I think that was originally why I bought that Korres cream in the first place (dark spots). But it's also such a great moisturizer. I love sleeping masks/facials because my face soaks them up! LOL. Oh, don't get me started on genes. I totally got my dad's skin, too.

      Ugh. Wrinkles. I was actually thinking about that recently... I am mostly worried about my forehead. Because I always frown and furrow my brows. Also, I notice that when I'm doing make-up and I look up a certain way, I make wrinkles in my forehead and I'm like, "OKAY. RELAX YOUR FACE." Oh well. I guess it's all a part of aging... T__T

      Twitter is probably not worth getting. I like it because i get traffic updates and news and that sort of thing from it. Also, LAUGHS. Keeps me updated with current events. INSTAGRAM IS AWESOME THOUGH. I could spend hours looking at pretty pictures. There are some really good "photographers" on it. And I like to post pictures of my cat. It's worth a look! :) I actually follow a bunch of Japanese people that post pictures of their cats and dogs. Haha. O_O

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    2. I had that same forehead wrinkle. I had to make a conscious effort to stop my forehead from making the crease. I haven't noticed it as much lately so I think it worked. I was also applying wrinkle cream to the wrinkle liberally.

      I like to take photos, but don't like to talk about the photos, which is why blogging is not a good outlet for me. I'll think about getting instagram. Oh man, Japanese people and their pets. Pets are like gods here. Animals make really good photo subjects. I like to browse Pinterest.

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    3. OMG. I need to do the same thing. I don't want to be afraid of aging, but I also feel like this is waaaayyyyyyy too early!

      I love taking photos! Well, sort of. Get instagram!!! I'll like all of your photos! ;)

      GURL, I loooove pinterest. I haven't been going on it lately, but I used to be on it 24/7. It's never ending! There are still so many pins that I need to organize! Haha.

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    4. I'm a fan of anything preventive. Whether it's beauty or health-related. I feel the sooner we start, the longer we can maintain or improve upon something. This applies more to overall well-being. I'm trying to consume fewer processed foods and be more active, but also expand my mind and try to keep sharp, haha.

      I've gotten into hiking recently so I take a lot of scenic photos. I'll explore instagram and see if I like it. I love the concept of pinterest. It's such a great place to get different ideas.

      Do you play plants vs zombies?

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    5. I was trying to eat fewer processed foods, but since I started working, we have been eating out a lot more. And I generally feel worse now. Haha. Too much fried chicken. :( Also, I haven't been doing yoga lately, and I can physically (and mentally!) feel the difference! I need to get back on that horse, but I am lacking motivation lately. Don't get off the horse in the first place! LOL.

      I used to play that game! :)

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